A Songblood's Night
by Ariao
Summary: Sequal to "A Songblood's Secret". Two weeks have passed since the battle was fought and Ariao's brother killed, but all isn't as peaceful as it should be. Thanks to Ariao awakening her Pureblood blood, new powers have begun to arrise. At the same time, someone else joins the night class and begins to stir up problems between Ariao and Hanabusa. Who will she side with in this fight?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1~ Nightmare

_It had to be done. There was no getting around it. I sighed as I pulled out the dagger from under my cloak. I had given him chance after chance and he still hadn't pulled through. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before looking at the sleeping form in front of me. At least the drugs would keep him from feeling any pain._

_ "I'm sorry. But this is something that's been a long time coming." I heard myself whisper, unsheathing the blade. The figure in front of me turned, revealing Hanabusa's peaceful face._

I shot up out of the bed, breathing hard. The sun was almost through the sky, casting the room in a pale golden glow through the window. Looking around, I breathed a sigh of relief that it had only been a dream. Or had it…?

"Ariao? Everything alright in there?" I closed my eyes when I heard Sorin's voice from the other side of the door. Between him and my healer, Rhyl, the two would swap guard duties around the clock.

"I'm fine, Rhyl." I called, leaning against the wall near the bathroom. These nightmares had become so much more frequent the closer to winter break we got. "Is Hanabusa alright?" I could almost sense his confusion at the question.

"I just checked on him a few minutes ago. He's fast asleep." Rhyl replied slowly. I heard a soft thud and knew he had sunk back onto the floor, back against the wall.

"That's good." I sighed, closing my eyes again.

Although it was hard for me to believe, two weeks had gone by since my brother, Nire, had been killed by none other than Hanabusa. I suppose that, in a sense, was where all the nightmares kept coming from. I was afraid that some of my brother's followers would figure it out and come after us again, this time targeting Hanabusa Aido.

Taking out my notebook, I went over to the desk and opened it to the back page. Dipping the quill in the ink, I drew some lines down on the page and started to work on the song for my brother's memory.

**"He tried to kill you to gain your powers. How is it right to honor him with a song?" Hanabusa asked when I brought it up.**

** "He was still my brother. And before this…when I was younger, he was my protector. That's the part of him I want to honor." I replied. Hanabusa fell silent for a moment and I looked up at him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me close for a moment.**

** "I understand. In your place, I'd probably do the same thing." His lips met mine for a brief moment before he looked out at the sunset. "Just don't let the others know. Lord Kaname wouldn't be too happy to find you doing this."**

** "Thank you." I breathed, leaning against him. I knew he was right, but I wasn't going to let that stop me.**

Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. Ever since the battle two weeks ago, Kaname had kept me close to his side, claiming that it was because he wanted to know if anything was threatening to happen. I had my suspicions however and old habits die hard. I suspected he wanted to keep an eye on me in case I either turned out like my brother or somehow managed to connect with my dead father, Rido.

_Of course, it could also be because Hanabusa and I are only ones that Sorin and Rhyl listen to and he doesn't want trouble from them._ I thought, for Hanabusa was always next to me wherever I was when we walked to class. Suddenly not feeling like putting notes on a page, I set the quill back and stood, grabbing my ocarina. Although it was early, I decided to head to the rooftop. As I pushed open the door, I saw Sorin come down the hallway with Hanabusa a pace behind him.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, meeting Hanabusa's serious expression.

"I just need to talk to you real quick." Hanabusa said, though I could tell it was forced.

"Sure." I said, puzzled. This hadn't been the first time Hanabusa had wanted to talk suddenly like this. Nodding a dismissal to Sorin and Rhyl, I headed back into my room. When Hanabusa closed the door, I sat on the sofa, waiting for him to join me. It was when he stayed by the door, that I really began to worry. "Hanabusa, what's wrong?"

"Just…just stay back for a minute." Hanabusa panted, leaning his head against the door. I caught a glimpse of his eyes and saw they were pure crimson now.

"Like that'll happen." I said, coming over and wrapping my arms around him. "If you're thirsty, just say so." I could feel him trembling beneath me as he turned in my grip. I met his gaze and blinked.

Hanabusa let out a soft growl and spun me around so that my back was now against the wall. One hand held me in place, while the other lifted my chin up. I closed my eyes just as Hanabusa shot forward, fangs piercing my neck. It was a long few minutes before Hanabusa calmed down enough to finally pull back, his eyes back to their normal icy blue.

"Better?" I asked, smiling at him to show there was no real harm done. Hanabusa met my gaze before looking away.

"How can you be so accepting of it?" He asked bitterly. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"I'd rather you not be in pain." I said, leaning against him. We'd had this conversation numerous times before. The result had been the same every time. Hanabusa would be mad at himself for having to drink my blood. I would lean against him. Then we'd kiss and head up to the rooftop. That had become our pattern for the last two weeks.

"You say that, but it still puts me in pain to be forced to take your blood to keep myself under control." Hanabusa said softly, leaning forward to kiss first the already healing wound on my neck, then moved up to meet his lips with mine.

"You really shouldn't worry about it." I said lightly when he'd pulled back. By the look in his eyes, I could tell he still wasn't that happy about it and I blinked. _I wonder if something else is bothering him. He's never been this upset before._ As if reading my thoughts, he shook his head slowly.

"It's nothing. I'll be fine." Taking my hand in his, he gently pulled me back towards the door. I smiled at him and let him pull me off to the rooftop. I pushed what had just happened to the back of my mind, determined to think that he was just feeling a bit off because it was still earlier than what we normally went by.

Hanabusa closed his eyes as the music began to fill him. Up here, it seemed like just the two of them were left. This was their private place to escape. Or at least…it should be. With Sorin and Rhyl now attending Cross Academy, that was a bit hard to do, since they were always there as guards.

_Life as a Pureblood sure is hard. I never realized how much it might mean to have a bit of space!_ He thought, slightly irritated with the two aristocrats. Seeing as how he was Ariao's lover, he now had priority even among the other night class vampires, though he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. With a sigh, he let himself be taken away by the music Ariao was playing, a lullaby that her mother had taught her.

He had been afraid to tell her what had really troubled him. Over the past week-and-a-half, he had begun to have nightmares…or daymares really. This one was the worst yet since he seemed to be looking from outside his own body through someone else's eyes. They had been holding a dagger and mentioned something about chances. Everything became a bit blurry after that, but it had almost felt as if it had been _Ariao_ that had been about to kill him.

Hanabusa sighed softly and I looked over at him. _Something really is troubling him. I don't want to push it, but I want to help him too._ I thought, pausing for a moment. Hanabusa's eyes opened and he looked at me, puzzled. Smiling, I leaned back against the small wall, setting my ocarina in my lap.

"We really should do something to make it a bit more cheerful up here." I said in an effort to make light of a situation.

"Like a small garden?" Hanabusa smiled back, eyes lighter now.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2~ Confusion

"Exactly that." I said, glancing at him. _How did he know that? I never said anything about a garden…or did I? Maybe I'm losing my memory._ I thought, suppressing a shiver. That was the last thing I needed was for my memory to be going.

"Maybe." Hanabusa said, leaning back. "Seems like a good idea." He still seemed distracted by something.

"It would help to brighten things up around here." I said, leaning against him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me tight against him. It was only then that I realized there were slight tremors going through him, like he was either trying to control his thirst for my blood, or there was something that had set him on edge and he was afraid.

"You know that those fan girls have nothing on you, right?" Hanabusa asked suddenly. I blinked at him.

"Where is this coming from?" I asked, puzzled.

"I can try to change, if that's what it takes." He was really trembling now.

"Hanabusa, slow down a moment." I shifted so that I was sitting on his lap, facing him. "Now, take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."

"Do you wish that it was someone else?" He didn't really seem to be hearing me. His icy blue eyes were darker now. Not crimson, just troubled.

"What do you mean someone else?" I asked, putting my hands on his shoulders, trying to get him to focus on me.

"I don't know how much I can offer you, but whatever I can, it's yours." Hanabusa's eyes finally met mine and seemed to focus.

"Hanabusa, I don't know who you've been talking to, but you don't have to worry about this. I know what you just told me, just as you know that I've chosen _you_. No one else." I leaned into him and felt him take a few shaky breaths before he finally seemed to grab control of himself.

"It's just…no, never mind." Hanabusa said into my hair.

I wanted to ask him about that, but given the reaction that he just gave me, I let it slide. _I'll ask him later…_after_ he's calmed down._ I decided. Turning so that I was sitting in his lap this time, I reached over, picked up my ocarina and began playing again.

The sun was just starting to set when we made our way back down the stairs for our dorms to get ready for class. Takuma was waiting for us when we reached the last steps, his green eyes serious. When he saw us, however, he smiled slightly.

"Hey, Lady Ariao. Lord Kaname was wanting to talk to you about something before we headed out for class." He glanced at Hanabusa for a moment, as if asking for permission. Hanabusa shrugged.

_What's going on here?_ I wondered, glancing at them in confusion. _Is something going on that I don't know about?_ Takuma looked back at me over his shoulder, as if wondering if I was coming or not. With a final glance at Hanabusa, I sighed and followed Takuma to Lord Kaname's office.

Although I had come here often, it was always when there was a chance something might happen, such as a surprise visitor that he wanted us to be prepared for. As far as I knew, it wasn't like that this time, but for whatever reason, I felt that it was the same problem that Hanabusa had been trying to bring up earlier.

"Kaname?" Takuma knocked on the door. He cast a quick look at me with troubled eyes before the door opened to reveal the Pureblood, his dark maroon eyes narrowed.

"Good, you came." Kaname waved Takuma away before stepping aside to let me into the room.

"Is everything alright?" I asked as I stepped in. Kaname closed the door slowly before turning to face me.

"We're getting a new student here tomorrow. Headmaster Cross says that he claims to know who you are." Kaname's voice had a hard edge to it. "I warned you when you got here to remember your place. Are you forgetting that?"

"What? No! I'm not summoning these vampires here. Sorin and Rhyl are my personal guards. I have no idea who would be coming now." Hearing Kaname accuse me of trying to build an army of sorts against him made me bristle, even if I _did_ understand why he would think that.

"Let's hope this one isn't here to cause problems." Kaname growled, eyes gaining a crimson tint. I met his gaze for a moment before looking away. Even if I had started to awaken my Pureblood blood, I still had too many years as a Common Vampire to change overnight. Kaname seemed satisfied with this and walked over to me. "Just remember this. If any of your people cause trouble from here on in, it will be you that pays."

"I understand." I said softly, not daring to meet his gaze. I knew he meant that threat, and had no desire to push the type of punishment he would use should anything _really_ happen.

"Good. Now go and get ready for class. I hope we won't have to see this conversation again." Kaname said, settling back. With a nod, I stood and turned to leave. At the door, I paused, wondering if I should actually ask who it was that was coming. After a bit of thought, I decided against it and headed out. I would find out tomorrow.

_It's probably one of the common vampires I met when I was traveling to find Cross Academy._ I thought, sighing once I had closed the door behind me. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than that…a _lot_ more, but I wasn't sure what.

"Guess I'll find out tomorrow." I said softly as I entered my room. It was at times like this where I wish I had some semblance of control on my foresight ability, but seeing as how Hanabusa took my blood earlier, that was out of the question anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3~ Zane

The way to class was a bit different than normal. Everyone had an air of tension about them and Hanabusa barely reacted the way he normally did when his fans screamed for him. _What gives? He's always cheerful around his fans._ I thought, glancing at him. Every time he caught my gaze, he would smile and give me a quick hug, but beyond that, I didn't get much of a reaction.

During class, everyone had settled a bit, but not much. I was about to the point of demanding an explanation when Sorin caught my eye and gave his head a quick shake. That did it. They were keeping secrets again and leaving me in the dark! _Not this time!_ I thought, slamming my hands on the desk.

"Alright that's _it_! What's gotten everyone so edgy? Is it this new student that's supposed to come in tomorrow?" I glared around the room, daring someone to meet my gaze. Of course, only Hanabusa and Kaname had the power to do that, everyone else looked away.

"It's just that…this student isn't an ordinary student per say." I looked at Rhyl, who met my gaze for a moment before looking away again.

"What do you mean?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. When Rhyl stayed silent, it was Sorin who took up the cue.

"It's Zane." Sorin said quietly. Those two words made my blood run cold.

_No wonder Hanabusa was acting odd. They must have told him who Zane was to me._ I thought glancing at him.

Zane. Fellow Songblood…and my supposed fiancée. Through an arranged marriage, I was supposed to have gone with Zane in order to hold true to the Songblood lineage, but no matter what I had done, I couldn't bring myself to stay around him. Eventually, I had hidden away among humans and worked my way here to Cross Academy, where I had hoped to have lost him months ago. Apparently not.

_And he's coming tomorrow. As if things hadn't been bad enough!_ I thought with a sigh. A small smirk from Hanabusa drew my attention up. _Okay, now what's going on? Is he somehow able to read my mind?! No…that's impossible!_ But then again, a lot of impossible things seemed to be happening lately.

"Did you two tell them everything?" I asked, glaring at Sorin and Rhyl.

"They didn't need to. Headmaster Cross told me everything earlier today." Kaname said, pushing off against the wall he was leaning on.

"And you told everyone else." I growled, narrowing my eyes at him. "Leaving me in the dark _again_." I stalked forward, rage building with every step. "I may have gone through it a few weeks ago, but this was over the line." I was barely aware of Hanabusa trying to pull me back.

"You would have found out soon enough." Kaname replied coldly, his eyes gaining a bit of a crimson glow.

"And that makes it alright, does it?" I snapped, pulling away from Hanabusa. Kaname said nothing, just continued to glare at me. Trembling with rage, I finally allowed Hanabusa to lead me back to my seat.

"He didn't want you getting all worked up about it." Hanabusa said softly, holding me close and brushing his lips over my head.

"I thought I was finally able to put trust in you all. Perhaps I was wrong." I said, not looking at him. "Even you knew, didn't you? That's why you were asking those questions on the roof." I accused, pulling back to look at him.

"I…" Hanabusa looked at me for a moment then at the ground. I closed my eyes and looked away, feeling betrayed.

"I knew it. You still don't fully trust me do you?" I snapped my gaze up at him, forcing out the last words. "Just leave me alone, Aido." With that, I spun around, trying to block out the hurt expression on Hanabusa's face as I stalked to the back of the classroom. Sorin and Rhyl were quick to join me on either side as I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes. The room at this point had fallen into dead silence with tension so thick you could cut it with a sword. I didn't care at that point and secretly, I was glad Zane was coming now. It would give me a chance to get back at Hanabusa.

_I'll have to put up with Zane for a whole term. Might as well make the most of it. _I thought, taking a few deep breaths to clear my head a bit. Sorin's low growl made me open my eyes. Hanabusa had come over, eyes dark with concern.

"Watch it, Hanabusa." Rhyl added, taking a slight step forward. He didn't seem to notice Sorin and Rhyl, though.

"Ariao?" I looked at him for a moment before turning away. It hurt to do it, but not as much as the thought of him not telling me something as important as Zane coming to Cross Academy.

"I suggest you step back." Sorin's voice was right above me. On my other side, I heard Rhyl start to unsheathe his sword.

"Enough you two." I said, hearing the cold edge to my voice. Standing up, a cast a glare in Kaname's direction before turning and heading for the door. Shock pulsed from every vampire in the room as I left but no one made a move to stop me. Once we were about halfway to the dorms, I paused and looked up at the moon.

"Lady Ariao?" Rhyl's soft voice made me glance back at him. I had known those two would follow me.

"Does this mean that…well with you and Lord Hanabusa…?" Sorin trailed off as if unsure how to word it.

"I don't know. At the moment, I don't want anyone bothering me about it. I just…" I sighed before turning to face them. "I just need to figure out a few things before Zane really does show up." Sorin and Rhyl bowed in acceptance as I turned and continued back to the Moon Dorm.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4~ Night Class Talk

Hanabusa sank back into his seat and put his face in his hands. _She's got every right to be mad. I should have told her from the start!_ He cursed himself silently. With Ariao now gone, the room became a swarm of noise. No one seemed to know what to make of what had just happened.

"Man, you really messed up." Akatsuki said from beside him. "She looked like she was about ready to kill someone."

"No kidding." Ruka said, looking at him pointedly. Hanabusa wasn't in the mood for an argument tonight, however, and let the taunt go in one ear and out the other.

"You _really _think that this Zane character will take her, don't you." Takuma had come over to sit in front of him.

"He's her fiancée." Hanabusa nearly choked on the word. "What can I really do about that?"

"But if that were really the case, wouldn't he have come with her to Cross Academy from the start?" Shiki asked around a stick of Poky. He seemed to be into the conversation for once, watching him with sharp icy eyes.

"Yes. I don't think she quite feels the same way about this as Zane does." The room fell quiet as Kaname spoke. He walked over and stood near Hanabusa's desk, eyes dark. "Headmaster Cross said that Zane had been searching for her after she up and vanished about four months back. Whether that was because of her brother or not, we don't know."

"Still…what if Ariao left Zane for the same reason she tried to hand herself over to Nire?" Ruka said, and Hanabusa felt the ground drop from under him.

_If she's never gotten over Zane…then where does that leave me?_ Hanabusa let his head drop to the desk, not sure if he was more annoyed that Zane was really coming, or angry that he hadn't told her the truth when he had the chance.

"You know we only have ourselves to blame right now." Hanabusa looked up to see Takuma's green eyes shadowed.

"She was just starting to trust us? Isn't that what she said?" Akatsuki asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah." Ruka agreed softly. That caused the whole room to fall quiet again.

"As a Songblood, she was raised to trust in no one but herself." Hanabusa said quietly after a moment. "We finally gain her trust…only to toss it away and for what?" He balled his hands into fists on the table. "Because every one of us here still fears that Rido might come back through her? Won't things like this only make that more of a reality?"

"It'll probably happen anyways. Rido is easily seen in her." Kaname said coldly.

_Probably isn't an answer!_ Hanabusa thought, looking away from the Pureblood. "But Ariao's not Rido." He said, getting to his feet.

"What are you planning on doing?" Akatsuki asked, watching him. Hanabusa headed for the door. "Hanabusa?"

"I'm going to find Ariao." Hanabusa said stiffly, not looking at the other students.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Shiki asked in a bored tone.

"You'd be better waiting for her to cool off first. Otherwise, someone's going to get thrown around." Rima agreed in almost the same tone as Shiki before popping a stick of Poky into her mouth.

"I'm more worried about Ariao right now than anything else." Hanabusa said, looking over his shoulder at them for a moment before heading off.

Back in the Moon Dorm, I sank into a sofa and looked up at the ceiling. Sorin and Rhyl were on guard outside since I insisted I wanted some time for myself. There was only so much I could really think about with those two hovering over me.

First, what did I really expect? I hadn't really been at Cross Academy very long, was it really reasonable to think they'd put any real trust in me? Who my father was only made that fact a million times worse. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I had probably over-reacted.

Second, who did I want to be? I was jumping back and forth between Songblood and Pureblood. Not only did it confuse me, it undoubtedly confused everyone else too. _I'll have to apologize to Lord Kaname._ I thought with a sigh. _And to everyone else too…especially Hanabusa._ I winced as the memory of his hurt expression repeated itself in my mind. I had definitely taken that too far.

Third….My thoughts trailed off as someone knocked on the door. "Lady Ariao? Lord Zane is here." Sorin called through the door.

"Already? He's supposed to be here tomorrow!" I called out, thinking this was Sorin's and Rhyl's idea of a joke.

"I decided to drop by early." The voice made my blood turn to ice. There was no mistaking that accented musical voice. It was Zane. "May I come in?" When I was silent, the door opened slowly and Zane poked his head in, pale blue-green hair slightly mused from the breeze outside. His turquoise eyes locked on mine and he smiled broadly.

"It's been a while Zane." I said, rolling to my feet as he came forward.

"Perhaps a bit too long." He said, coming over to give me a hug.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Special thanks to Deces for the review!**_

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Chapter 5~ Wounded

I froze for a moment before pulling back. "Err. Right. Zane, listen…." I said, closing my eyes and holding him at arm's length. "About earlier…" He placed a finger lightly against my lips.

"I know. Nire was after your blood so you felt like you needed to protect those closest to you by leading him away." Zane smiled lightly and let his hand drop to my neck. "I understand it, even if I wish you had told me before leaving."

"I…" I started to protest, but Zane leaned forward and let his lips settle against mine. With a growl, I shoved him back, narrowing my eyes at him. "Not now, Zane."

"How about not ever?" I froze as Hanabusa's voice reached us. Looking over Zane's shoulder, I saw him, eyes burning crimson and glaring solely at Zane.

"And _who_ are you?" Zane asked, turning to face Hanabusa. The tension in his usually musical voice was tighter than a drawn bow string.

"The one who'll rip you apart if you try that again." Hanabusa stalked forward.

"Alright, how about we all just take a step back…." I stepped between them before an actual fight broke out. Kaname would really be furious with us if we destroyed the Moon Dorm without good reason.

"You're protecting him?" Hanabusa asked, glaring at Zane.

"Not now, Hanabusa. Wait…what are you doing out here anyways?" I looked at him through narrowed eyes. He blinked at me, eyes reverting to their original icy blue.

"I wanted to apologize to you." He said softly, a hurt look entering his eyes. "Ariao, you know I'd never intentionally hurt you." Zane must have picked up on the tone Hanabusa was using, for he pushed forward to stand between us.

"You better not be implying what I think you are." Zane growled, falling into a half-crouch.

"Hey, come on." I pulled at Zane's shoulder, trying to get him to relax.

"What if I am?" Hanabusa asked in a smug tone.

"Hanabusa, hush for a second!" I snapped. This wasn't what I was wanting to happen!

"Then you'll be the one ripped apart." Zane countered, shaking me off. The chill that suddenly entered the air made me close my eyes. Grabbing my ocarina from the pouch I had recently started carrying, I was about to play when every muscle in me seemed to freeze.

_WH-What's happening?!_ I thought, fear seeping into me. Something was wrong…_very_ wrong. Not like when I had been about to have one of my visions, but almost as if….

"Zane, no!" I shot forward, hoping I was in time. No matter how mad I was at Hanabusa, I didn't want to see Zane's power be used against him. Especially not what I knew to be coming.

Time froze in sections at that point. I saw the dark red shadows of Zane's "blood snakes" as he liked to call them. Ice that was forming around us in a sort of cocoon. The snakes shooting forward, right for me. Next thing I know, pain like I've known before hits, covering my entire body. I wanted to cry out with the pain, but sound died in my throat before it could be formed.

"_Ariao!_" I felt both Zane and Hanabusa drop their powers as I collapsed onto my knees, trying to hold myself together. I barely heard the ocarina clatter to the ground before my vision became black.

"What's going on here?!" Sorin and Rhyl had burst in, eyes wide. Hanabusa was crouched on the other side of Ariao, not really sure what to do. Her whole body was drenched in blood. Zane had fallen back, shocked that his power had done this to her.

"Move!" Rhyl shoved him aside and crouched by her, quickly looking over the wounds.

"What happened?!" Sorin demanded again, glancing between him and Zane.

"It's my fault. I didn't pull back my snakes in time and they struck her rather than…." Hanabusa met Zane's glare, biting back a sharp retort.

"It's bad." Rhyl said, leaning forward to brush his fingers lightly over a slowly healing wound on her neck. "It is the one that worries me the most."

"Will she live?" Hanabusa and Zane asked simultaneously. Then both turned to glare at the other again.

"She'll live." Rhyl promised grimly. "But I don't think she'll be too happy with the result if it's as bad as I think it is."

"What does that mean?" Sorin asked after a moment's pause.

"She'll live…but at the cost of her voice. That wound's both deep and long. I suspect it goes right across her vocal cords." Rhyl closed his eyes, held his hands out, and sighed deeply. Something similar looking to glitter flowed from his hands to the wounds on Ariao.

_So that's what Rhyl's power looks like._ Hanabusa thought, watching silently. After about ten minutes, Rhyl finally settled back, closing his eyes.

"I've done all I can. It's up to her for the rest." Rhyl said exhaustion in his voice.

"You've done more than enough, Rhyl." Hanabusa replied quietly. "Ariao wouldn't want you to push yourself too far."


	6. Quick Story Note 1

Yes, I know it's early, but I felt the need to put one here. Since this is going to be longer than the first one, I want to keep the reviews coming. The drama and suspense that's about to really go full swing will make you wonder what's going to happen next (At least, I hope it will XD)!

I'm also curious to hear which team everyone will be taking as the story progresses. Zane or Hanabusa? Trust me, there'll be plenty of both. ;) Just try to bear with me if it gets slow, at times, that'll usually mean that something big is about to happen and I want to startle everyone with it.

Many thanks as always!

Ariao


	7. Chapter 6

_**Special thanks to Deces and AnimeRox2012 for the reviews!**_

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Chapter 6~Change

I had no idea how long I was down, but when I woke, sunlight was pouring through the window. At first, I was puzzled. The last thing I remembered was jumping in front of Zane when he called on his blood snakes….

A shocked gasp escaped me, hurting my throat along the way. Zane was here at Cross Academy! Him and Hanabusa had started to fight and then when I jumped between them, I had taken the damage instead. _But…I was mad at Hanabusa, wasn't I?_ For some reason, I couldn't quite remember the full details. _I just hope everyone's alright._

"I've told you once, I've told you a million times, _no visitors until she wakes up!_" I tensed, only to relax as I recognized Rhyl's voice.

"I just want to know how she's doing." Zane's quiet voice reached me and I heard Rhyl sigh.

"I went in yesterday. Still nothing."

_Yesterday?! How long have I been unconscious?_ Determined to find out, I tried to call out to them that I was awake, but any sound I started died in my throat. _What in the name of Songbloods is going on?!_ Terrified that there might be some kind of seal on me, I started clawing my throat, hoping to get something of a hint on a seal. When that gave me nothing, I froze, trembling.

"Lady Ariao!" Rhyl was suddenly crouched in front of me, gently pulling my hands down. "Please, don't do any more damage. You've been through enough."

"Everything going alright?" I looked over at Hanabusa, who had just come in the door, Zane glaring after him. "Ariao, what's wrong?" His tone became urgent when he picked up the scent of my blood.

I opened my mouth to try to tell him that there was something wrong, but no sound came out. Frustrated, my hands balled into fists in Rhyl's grip and glared at him. He seemed to guess at what I was trying to say.

"I'm sorry, Lady Ariao. There's nothing more I can do." Rhyl said softly, meeting my gaze for a moment before looking away. Both angered and terrified, I pulled back, jumping to my feet.

_No…You can't be telling me that I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life! Can I even still play?!_ I looked around, searching at least for my ocarina. When I didn't see it, I looked at everyone pointedly. I noticed Zane close his eyes and take a deep breath. When I locked my eyes on him, he pulled out a cloth and held it out to me.

"Ariao…I…" He trailed off as I snatched the cloth from him and lifted it up. I almost with I hadn't. My ocarina…my one connection to my now dead mother and my own blood calling…had been shattered.

_How…? How did this happen?_ I thought numbly as I sank back onto my knees.

"It happened after you jumped between us four days ago." Hanabusa answered softly, almost as if he had read my thoughts.

"I didn't think you'd honestly do that." Zane said, crouching beside me. "When the snakes struck, you were holding it."

"That ocarina is what saved your life, Lady Ariao." Sorin added, blinking slowly. "You had it right in front of your heart and it took the blow that would have killed you."

_So in the end…it really did become my last lifeline._ I thought looking down.

"Lifeline? What do you mean?" Hanabusa asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at me. I froze and looked up at Hanabusa in surprise.

"I never said anything about a lifeline." Zane said, following Hanabusa's gaze to me.

"Not you. Ariao." Hanabusa said, looking at Zane then Sorin. "What, you can't hear her?"

"She hasn't said a word this whole time." Sorin said, looking at me in confusion. I just shrugged and shook my head. I was as lost as he was.

"So you did inherit something from your mother's father." Rhyl said softly.

_Come again?_

"What do you mean her "mother's father"?" Hanabusa asked, echoing my question.

"Her mother told me a long time ago that one of the rarer Songblood abilities was to communicate mind-to-mind with whoever had taken their blood." Rhyl explained, leaning back on his heels.

"And because Lord Hanabusa has taken her blood more than once, you think it left a mark on him?" Sorin asked.

"More than once?" Zane growled, glaring at Hanabusa. Hanabusa's eyes turned crimson as he glared back at Zane.

_Come on guys, knock it off!_ I sighed mentally and pulled Zane back. I wasn't too keen on repeating the whole process again.

"This can be settled later." Zane said calmly, getting to his feet. Looking back at me, his gaze softened. "Be sure to get some rest before tonight. Everyone's been worried about you." With that, he left, making sure to shove into Hanabusa on his way past. I heard Hanabusa growl, but he seemed to have the sense not to stir up trouble in front of me. Once Zane was gone, he turned to settle down next to me.

"I understand who he is to you. But it doesn't change how I feel." He told me softly. "I'll be fighting for you every bit as hard as he is." I blinked at him before leaning against him, resting my head on his shoulder.

_I'm sorry about what I told you earlier._ I thought, hoping he would catch it. He seemed to and wrapped an arm around me.

"Did I ever say I blamed you? You had every right to be mad." Hanabusa sighed softly and leaned down to gently kiss me. When he pulled back, I shifted so that I was almost sitting on his lap and closed my eyes.

_I don't even know if I'll be able to really play an ocarina again._ I couldn't stop the lone tear from escaping, even as I shut my eyes tightly.

"We could always find you something else." Hanabusa offered lightly, but he and I both knew that the only thing I would willingly play was an ocarina. "We'll figure out something, I promise."

_Promise?_ I looked up at him, wondering if he really meant what he was saying.

"Promise." Hanabusa nodded, helping to pull me to my feet. "And for once, I agree with Zane. You need rest." Rolling my eyes for a moment, I let him pull me back to my bed and nestled among the covers. Before he pulled away completely, he leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to mine. Just as I started to kiss him back, he broke off, smiling slightly.

As he turned to leave, he paused at the door, hand holding it open a bit as he looked back. "Oh, by the way." I tilted my head at him as he hesitated for a moment. "I don't think these dreams of yours should be taken lightly." I stared at him in surprise. "Your visions were powerful enough…these dreams are worse. Don't be afraid to ask for some help every now and then." Giving me a quick smile, he turned and headed out the door, closing it lightly behind him.


	8. Chapter 7

_**Special thanks to Deces and AnimeRox2012 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following the story!**_

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Chapter 7~ Views

Hanabusa paused outside of Ariao's door for a moment. He could feel Zane's presence nearby and felt a prickle of anger. _It's because of him that all this has happened!_ He thought, biting back a growl. Ariao had warned him about his temper before and he had been trying to learn to curb it. Success wasn't always possible.

"You've done enough harm to her, haven't you?" He asked, pointedly.

"If you hadn't tried to push between us, she never would have tried to take that blow." Zane growled, stepping out of the shadows.

"So now it's my fault that you've tracked her down? Why not blame me for Nire too?" He asked dryly, feeling his anger start to peak.

"Here's an idea, both of you keep it down and stop fighting for one minute!" Sorin snapped, coming out into the hall and pushing between them.

"Do you both honestly think that fighting is going to help Lady Ariao feel any better? You both ought to know better than that." Rhyl added, coming out and closing the door behind him.

"No…you're right, Rhyl." Zane sighed. Hanabusa looked at the Songblood sharply in time to see him turn and head off down the hall, hands clasped behind his head.

_Trying to act the good guy now. _Hanabusa thought. He felt Rhyl's and Sorin's gaze on him so he just shook his head. The main thing that mattered was that Ariao focused on recovering. With a quick nod to Ariao's guards, he headed back to his own room, glad that the other students were still in class at the moment.

Sorin sighed roughly and sank to the floor, folding his hands in his lap. "We just can't get a break, can we?" He asked, looking up at Rhyl.

"Part of being one of a Songblood's personal guard, I suppose." Rhyl commented, sitting beside him.

"You only see her as a Songblood?" Sorin looked up at him, startled. Rhyl shrugged.

"It's what she _wants_ to be, isn't it?" the healer asked, leaning his head against the door.

"But she's not just a Songblood. Her father was Rido Kuran, a Pureblood." Sorin argued, then paused. "It's not right to just see one side of her."

"You know where you have to stand in this." Rhyl warned and Sorin looked over to see his friend's gaze meeting his sternly.

"Yeah, I know. But it doesn't change anything." Sorin looked at the floor, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Even if I know I'll eventually become a Level E."

"Well, since you care that much, who would you rather see her be with?" Rhyl asked calmly, looking away from him. Sorin thought for a moment before looking up at the ceiling.

"Well…Lord Zane is a Songblood. But Lord Hanabusa is the one that can both contain and match Ariao's fiery spirit." Sorin sighed, closing his eyes. "From a political standpoint, I'd easily say Zane. But for a true heart standpoint…it's Hanabusa."

"In the end, we have to keep her safe…something we failed to do." Rhyl said grimly, a slight growl in his voice. "We can't let it happen again."

"Glad we agree on that." Sorin said, smiling lightly. "We'll have to keep an eye on her at all times."

"But still be discreet about it. You know what she'll say if she finds out." Rhyl sighed heavily.

"Yeah. All too well." Sorin replied sadly. _I don't care what it takes. I'll never let Ariao be harmed like that again!_

Zane slid into his room and closed the door. It had taken every ounce of control he had to keep from jumping Hanabusa Aido earlier. But he knew Ariao well enough to understand that if there was any more harm done at the moment, she'd feel responsible. Turning to his desk, he walked over and sat down, pulling the block of wood closer.

_Once you wake up, I'll be able to give you a birthday present you won't forget._ He promised silently, pulling out a knife and starting to peel chips of wood off. He was probably the only one here, save Rhyl and Sorin, that knew her real birthday was in a few days.

It wouldn't be much, but considering how things had happened, he had decided to try and carve out an ocarina mold and make one himself. _Hopefully it'll work._ He thought, lifting the half-finished carving to eye level. With a smirk of approval, he started chipping away at the top, trying to make it symmetrical.

A soft breeze came in from his window and he paused, closing his eyes for a moment. In that moment, he remembered the first time he had ever met Ariao.

**Their parents had brought them together for a lesson one night. Back then, he had been startled to see that her eyes were two completely different colors: one a dark sapphire blue, the other a flashing maroon. When she had seen his reaction, she had looked away with a small apology. _She's used to that reaction!_ He thought, feeling a strange flash of protectiveness for her. Since then, he had started to come by her house, making sure he would be able to let her see he was a friend. But eventually, that too, changed to something more. When their parents had announced an arranged marriage, he had been ecstatic!**

_Too bad it didn't last long._ He thought with a sigh, looking at the carving closely again. _It wasn't long after that when she vanished from the village. I'm just glad I found her safe and sound._

"No matter what, I won't let anyone take your blood again." He said aloud, looking at the door and setting his carving down.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 8~ Two Sides of the Moon

When I finally opened my eyes again, the sun was sinking below the trees, indicating that it was almost time for class. With a small gasp, I jumped out and scrambled to put my uniform on, knowing I had already missed enough class for the term. Grabbing a hairband, I headed over and opened the door, nearly tripping on Sorin and Rhyl.

"Lady Ariao, you should be resting." Sorin said, getting to his feet and helping to keep me from losing my balance. I pointed to the nearest window and then looked at him.

"Well…Lord Kaname has given you a break until you're…hey, wait up!" I had stopped listening and was heading for the parlor, pulling my hair into place in a ponytail. Before I had completely reached the stairs, Zane stopped and turned.

"How're you feeling, Ariao?" He asked, smiling lightly, reaching back to me.

"Ariao?" Hanabusa's voice made me look back as he came out of his room, Akatsuki behind him.

"We thought you'd still be recovering." Akatsuki said, coming over and putting his hands in his pockets.

_I've already missed enough class. I'm not missing more._ Hanabusa blinked and came over to my side.

"You don't have to push yourself." He told me softly, kissing the top of my head.

Zane's growl made me look over at the Songblood. His eyes were almost pure crimson as he glared at Hanabusa. Hanabusa glared back, the arm around me tightening slightly.

"Alright, enough is enough." Sorin came forward and pushed between them, looking from one to the other. Rhyl had appeared at my shoulder, making his presence known with a low growl.

I closed my eyes for a moment before pulling away from Hanabusa. Tapping Sorin, I headed down the stairs into the parlor. Almost immediately, I was swarmed by the other night class students. It took Sorin, Rhyl, Zane, Hanabusa, and Akatsuki together in order to get a semblance of order. Once that was established, I sank onto the bottom step with a sigh as Hanabusa and Zane took turns explaining what had happened. After they were done, a long silence followed as everyone looked at me.

"Are you still able to play at all?" Takuma finally asked softly. I shrugged. Until I had an ocarina, I had no clue.

"Glad to see everyone's here today." Kaname's voice made me jump to my feet. He was staring at me as he came down the stairs, pausing when he reached the step I was on. "You seem better today."

I narrowed my eyes at him for a moment before looking away. After a few seconds, Kaname continued on.

Zane came over and placed a hand lightly on my shoulder. "I'll keep you safe." He whispered, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. He pulled back with a light smile on his face as the doors opened for us to head to class. As I headed out behind Takuma, I felt tension spark behind me from Zane and Hanabusa, but when I glanced back, I saw Sorin and Rhyl push between them.

_This is going to be a long year._ I sighed, turning back to face forwards. Takuma heard my sigh and glanced back at me, puzzled, but I just shook my head with a shrug. As long as those two were together, I couldn't really do anything since I was positive it would spark a fight.

"Something wrong?" Zane asked, coming over to walk next to me. I waved him off. There was no way I could explain, it would only make him mad again. I felt Hanabusa's gaze on us, but he remained silent as we finally reached the classroom. When I sank down into my seat near the back of the class, I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes.

"You need to be careful. Those wounds left a lot more damage than what's on the surface." Rhyl said, taking a seat beside me. I opened my eyes to look at him pointedly, silently asking, _You think?_ "No, not just about your voice." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I meant about that wound that never really healed on your shoulder. You reopened it when you jumped between Hanabusa and Zane."

_I know that the wound reopened but it was worth it to keep them from destroying each other._ I thought for a moment, remembering that he couldn't hear me. Pulling out my notebook, I opened it to a blank page and wrote down what I had thought and slid it over to him. Rhyl chuckled softly.

"You would think that." His gaze turned serious as he looked at me, sliding the notebook over so I could write out what I wanted to say. "With Zane here…what are you planning to do? Are you going to keep with Hanabusa?" Sorin, on my other side, tensed slightly.

_"I don't know, honestly. I've always felt at ease around Hanabusa…but duty to my family and in my mother's honor…I may try to be with Zane."_

"So you don't know yet." Rhyl sat back with a light sigh. "Have you ever considered that maybe there's more than duty? Back home, you were seen as the Pureblood, not a Songblood."

_"What are you talking about? And why has this come up all of a sudden?"_ I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously, but Rhyl's gaze was calm.

"I just need to know whose side we need to be on if this turns into a fight." Rhyl replied, giving the slightest of a shrug.

_"I suppose that's a fair point. But I can't really give you an answer."_ I slid the notebook so that Sorin could read it as well.

"Right. So we're still at square one." Sorin leaned back as well, clasping his hands behind his head. "No matter. I still know what I have to do." He looked at me for a moment before closing his eyes.

_What does that mean?_ I wondered, narrowing my eyes slightly. It sounded like he had already chosen a side in this now forming battle. _Ad from the way Rhyl acted, I'd say he has too._


	10. Chapter 9

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 9~ Snow

It was still dark when we left class that morning. I paused and looked up at the sky, seeing it covered in clouds. "Looks like it might snow later." Zane said, coming up beside me. His voice was light, but when I looked over at him, I saw the shadows there. "Almost like when we first met."

"It was also snowing when you found me." Sorin said quietly, looking up at the sky. "Seems like snow is a big event sign for you."

He was right. That first day I had wandered from my home I had stumbled upon Sorin in the middle of his feeding. The snow that day had built up so that I was sinking in to my ankles of the fluffy white stuff. That day had changed my life forever. Once Sorin had come back to his sense, I had told him what I was doing out of the village and almost immediately he had agreed to help me.

"Ariao?" I jumped back, startled by Hanabusa's voice. His eyes darkened a bit. "You alright? Or would you rather I leave you be?"

_What? No, I was lost in my own thoughts. Sorry!_ Hanabusa blinked and smiled.

"It's fine. I didn't mean to startle you." Hanabusa wrapped an arm around me and gave me a quick hug before pulling back.

"We're about to get left behind." Rhyl said, nodding to the group of night class students that were waiting for us to follow.

"Look, it's Idol!" I looked over to see some early rising fan girls head over.

"Hello, ladies!" Hanabusa smiled and headed over. I rolled my eyes, knowing that this was something that didn't really mean anything, he was just playing along.

"He's still like that? Even though he claims to feel for you?" Zane shook his head. I glanced at him, not really wanting to snap at him, but wanting to at the same time. "At least you know _I'd_ never be that way about anyone else." He pulled me back against him and wrapped his arms over my shoulders. "I know that you feel something for him, but you also feel something for me too. Why don't we try to build on that? Say…tomorrow after class in the garden?"

I knew I should probably refuse, but deep down, he was right. I _did_ feel something for him. Maybe not the same way I felt about Hanabusa, but there was something there all the same. With a sigh, I nodded, not meeting anyone's eyes. Zane's lips brushed the top of my head.

"You won't regret it." Zane said softly. I could hear the smile in his voice. I saw Sorin and Rhyl both looking at me in cautious curiosity. I smiled weakly and blinked, hoping they understood that I was doing this willingly. Sorin's eyes narrowed a bit, almost as if he didn't believe me and Rhyl shrugged before turning and falling in behind the waiting vampires.

When Hanabusa finally decided to rejoin us, Zane had let go of me and was almost skipping after Rhyl. "What's with him?" He asked, narrowing his eyes after the Songblood.

_Who knows? He probably has something planned._ I sighed. I wasn't really willing to tell Hanabusa about meeting with Zane tomorrow. Giving Hanabusa a quick glance, I followed Zane, leaving the puzzled aristocrat and Sorin to fall in behind me.

Zane slid into his room, chuckling happily. _That went better than I thought it would! Hanabusa Aido really _is_ easy to distract._ He had told the girls that the playboy vampire was wanting to talk to them and to grab his attention in the early morning hours. Sure enough, they had come, giving him the perfect opportunity to get Ariao alone. He went over to his desk, where the mold for the ocarina had been sitting since before class.

"I hope this works. Otherwise, I'll look the fool!" He muttered, gently picking up the mold.

The next day passed without incident beyond the glaring between Hanabusa and Zane. I was still puzzled as to why Sorin and Rhyl insisted on not giving me a moment to myself. Even when they promised to stay back, I could see that Sorin was hiding away behind a cluster of rose bushes.

"You look lovely today." I looked back, tensing slightly, only to relax again as I saw it was Zane. Giving him a slight smile, I sat back on the bench near the fountain. Zane smiled back and sat next to me, reaching into his pocket.

"Close your eyes." He said, grinning widely. I gave him a puzzled look before closing my eyes. I felt him gently pull out one of my hands ad place something in it. He closed my fingers around it, making a puffy-feeling ribbon crinkle slightly.

"Alright, open your eyes." He said softly. Now more confused than ever, I opened my eyes and felt my heart stop for a moment. In my hand, was a brand new ocarina, wrapped up like a present in a bright blue ribbon. Turning my startled gaze on him, he chuckled. "Happy Birthday, Ariao." Moved almost to tears, I wrapped my arms around him. Zane chuckled again and hugged me back. "Glad you like it." He whispered in my ear. "Let's see how well it works."

Pulling back eagerly, I closed my eyes and started to play, feeling ecstatic when the familiar sound filled the air. Once I had finished the lullaby, I paused, clutching the ocarina to my chest.

_Finally, I can play again._ I thought, closing my eyes on tears of relief.

With a glance at Zane, I saw he was grinning from ear to ear. "It's good to hear your music again. It's one of the things I've missed." He pulled out a small case and opened it. "Remember the winter song we used to play?" I nodded eagerly.

The winter song that Zane was talking about, "Midnight Snow" was rarely heard since it required two people to play. One to play the mysterious top part, and another to play the soothing lower part. Only then would the desired effect be obtained.

Zane put his flute together and looked at me. "You start. Top?" When I nodded I took a deep breath and began. About halfway through the song, the first of the winter snow began to fall, adding the perfect feeling to a now perfect morning here at Cross Academy.


	11. Quick Story Note 2

So now Zane is starting to get his chance in the spotlight. But is it good or bad? Just how far is he really willing to go in order to win Ariao? Remember that nightmare in the first chapter? Don't think I've forgotten it. Or the other visions that didn't see their light in the first book. A good number of things are still to come in this book, so keep a close eye on how the later chapters develop.

I've been slowly putting together the prequel to this series, and, though it only includes snatches of some of the original VK charries, I hope to see some people enjoy it. Right now, it's mainly going back to about the time she met Sorin. I might go back a bit farther to where she first meets Zane, but I'm not too sure yet on that.

I sincerly appreciate all the support that these two fan-fics have built! I honestly never expected it and that makes it all the better :D

Many thanks again :)

Ariao


	12. Chapter 10

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 10~ New Power

When I came back to my dorm, I noticed Hanabusa leaning against the wall. "You got your ocarina back." He said, pushing off from the wall. I blinked at him slowly.

_How long have you been here?_ I hesitated for a moment. Something was off about him, but I couldn't quite pick up what.

"Since I heard the music. Didn't know that he could play a flute." Hanabusa said. There was an undercurrent of tension.

_Are you…jealous?_ I took a tiny step back.

"Jealous? No. I've just been thinking." Hanabusa's eyes caught a small light off the wall, a tint of crimson flashing for a moment. That's when it hit me.

_Are you thirsty? _I asked him, watching his movements carefully. His eyes changed completely crimson.

"You could say that." Hanabusa purred, standing in front of me.

_Let's at least get out of the hall first._ I told him, intending to head for my room, but Hanabusa held out an arm, stopping me short.

"Why wait?" Hanabusa panted, turning so that I was trapped between his arms. His eyes locked on mine for a moment before he leaned forward. "What claim has he to your blood?" Hanabusa whispered.

_Hanabusa…_ My thoughts trailed off as his fangs struck. Hanabusa let out a low rumble and I closed my eyes.

"I don't care if Lady Ariao _does_ choose you. I'm not letting anyone else take her blood." My eyes snapped open to see Sorin grab Hanabusa and slam him against the wall.

"You're getting involved where you're not needed." Hanabusa growled, eyes flashing.

_Wait! Hanabusa stop and think for a moment! What's going on with you?_ I knew Hanabusa was sometimes a bit short-tempered, but this was totally wrong for him.

"There's nothing wrong with me." Hanabusa replied darkly, glancing at me.

"Not yet." Sorin growled, pulling back a fist. I grabbed Sorin and pulled him back. When he looked at me, I shook my head. After a long moment, his dark indigo eyes returned to normal and he relaxed.

_There's something not right with you right now, Hanabusa. What's wrong?!_ I looked at him, trying to push past Sorin's grip that kept me behind him.

"Not right? Ariao, that's a bit cold." Hanabusa tried to take a step forward, but Sorin's growl had him hesitating. "There's nothing wrong with me." He insisted.

I was about to reply when something happened. I don't know what triggered it, but everything around me darkened. Not like I was about to collapse, but more like a shadowing of what happened to be in sight. Well…mostly. Around Hanabusa was a sort of glimmer that hung around his head and fell to about halfway down his back before fading out.

_What? What _is_ that?!_ I thought, taking a step back until I was against the wall.

"Lady Ariao? What's wrong?" Sorin asked, placing a hand on my arm. When I looked at him, he was shadowed like the rest of the hallway.

"What's what?" Hanabusa asked, his eyes glowing in the shadows that I was seeing.

_Those shimmers…it's almost like they're blocking you out in a way._ I watched him carefully.

"Shimmers? What are you…?" Hanabusa trailed off, almost as if something had punched him in the stomach. For a moment, the shimmers faded before reappearing. "No…You just need to rest a bit, Ariao." He looked back up at me, eyes flickering.

_I don't know who you are, but whoever you are, you're not Hanabusa!_ That seemed to get through and the shimmering vanished completely. Once it vanished, my vision returned to normal.

"Ariao? Sorin? What am I…what am I doing here?" He looked around, appearing confused.

Zane closed his eyes, lying back on his bed. _Wonder what happened? Not many have the will to break through that seal._ He thought, opening his eyes. He was positive that Ariao hadn't really noticed what he had laced into "Midnight Snow", so she couldn't have been able to play a counterseal.

"Or maybe there was another reason." Zane mused softly with a deep sigh. "I might be getting soft myself." At that, he chuckled. "Yeah, right. Like that's happening. As long as Ariao follows her destiny, there's no problem."

_But then…which destiny?_ He paused, narrowing his eyes at the ceiling. _As a Pureblood, she's better with an aristocrat. But if she embraces the Songblood side of her, then it's me all the way._ With a final sigh, Zane pulled the covers up over his head, turned his back on the window and the now afternoon sun, and fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 11

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 11~ Storm

"Got any plans for the Winter Ball?" I looked up from my notebook to see Sorin standing next to me, his eyes skimming the page for a moment before looking at me. "I know both Hanabusa and Zane have asked you." He smiled lightly.

I rolled my eyes at him, turned to a new page, and wrote _"Don't remind me."_ Sorin chucked at this until I glared at him, then he looked away for a moment.

"Right…sorry." He said, not really sounding sorry in the least and I could see him still battling against a smirk. With a sigh, I let my mind drift back to what had sparked Sorin's laughter…

**Three days after Zane had given me my ocarina, we were coming back from class one morning when the first of it started. Sorin and Rhyl were flanking me, leaving Hanabusa and Zane to walk behind me. I could still feel tension between those two and had long since given up on trying to ease it, choosing to ignore it instead. Easier said than done.**

** Every time one of them started to say something, the other would interrupt. The only way they managed to finish a sentence was when both of them were apologizing to me when I'd turn and glare at them. I had just turned to growl at them again, when I noticed Hanabusa heading off to greet some of his fan girls again. I rolled my eyes and sighed, but just as I was turning back around, Zane put a hand on my shoulder.**

** "This is actually the best time I'll probably get for a while." He said softly, looking at me in an almost pleading expression. "You know, Ariao, the Winter Ball is coming up. You coming?" I blinked at him and nodded slowly, not liking where this was going. "Well…maybe we could go…you know…together." He smiled. Before I could reply, Hanabusa came back to us with a rose in his hand. When he saw me and Zane together, he had glared but surprisingly said nothing.**

** Back at the dorm was another matter, though. Now that I had my ocarina again, I had taken to going back out onto the rooftop to play. When I got up there, Hanabusa was waiting, sitting with his back against the wall, eyes closed.**

** _Hanabusa?_ I saw his eyes open and he got quickly to his feet.**

** "Hey, Ariao." Hanabusa smiled lightly and walked over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. "You know…the Winter Ball is coming up next week. Have you decided who you want to go with yet?" I blinked in surprise.**

** _No…not yet…._**

** "Well, there's always a chance that you'll choose me, right?" He leaned down and kissed the top of my head.**

** _Yes…there's a chance._ I wonder if he picked up the hesitation there, but if he did, he never commented on it. Just smiled, gave me a final kiss, and headed off down the steps.**

_"I've got half a mind to just choose someone else. Those two are getting more and more persistent by the day!"_ Sorin read this and chuckled again.

"Well, there is that option." He finally got out, eyes shining in amusement…and something else. "You could ask me or Rhyl."

"Oh no you don't. I don't do dances." He looked at me through slightly narrowed amber eyes. "I'm going just to make sure no harm comes to you, Lady Ariao and that's it."

"What about those two that used to be your followers? The blond one seems nice enough." Sorin whispered, nodding to where Takuma leaned against the wall beside Kaname. When he looked up from his newest manga, he smiled at me for a moment before getting lost in the pages again.

_What are they talking about?_ Hanabusa leaned forward a bit, trying to read what Ariao had put on the pages to make Sorin laugh like that. Twice. Sorin, Rhyl, and Ariao had their heads together and were whispering about something, and he was almost sure it involved him in some way. When Sorin nodded to the vice president, he felt a shiver run through him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zane tense as well. For once, both were on the same page.

_Ariao's thinking of taking _Takuma_ to the Winter Ball?!_

I could almost taste the tension that suddenly sparked behind me. "I don't think your suitors like where this conversation of ours is heading." Rhyl stated dryly. I sighed, not really feeling in the mood to listen to them tonight.

"Don't worry, we'll keep 'em off you." Sorin promised, grinning slightly. With a nod to him, I settled back and closed my eyes again for a moment before flipping back to the song I had been working on. I was still determined to finish Nire's song before the winter break, and thanks to getting my ocarina back, I was on track to do just that.

"Gonna be a long morning." Rhyl said, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. "Guess I'd better sleep while I can."

"No kidding." Sorin agreed, watching me put notes on the page. He had always seemed interested in how I could come up with these songs. I never had a problem with him watching, it had always made me feel safe to an extent. For whatever reason, it was almost a ritual for him to watch me as I would scribble out notes and start over time and time again.

"Perhaps a more melodic movement would make it flow smoother." He said softly, after I had torn out a bit for the fifth time. I looked at him for a moment, puzzled. "More like…this." He gently pulled the quill from me, dipped it in the ink, and wrote a series of notes on the staff. I stared at the page for a long moment, feeling my eyes widen. He was right! It did help connect the music.

Eagerly, I pulled the page out, setting it to the side, dipped the quill into the ink again, and started to put the finished copy together. Sitting back with a small sigh, I read over the page a few times before smiling over at Sorin. He smiled back. "Glad I could help." He replied, giving a small bow. I rolled my eyes at him for his sarcasm, but couldn't help but smile anyhow. Turning back to the page, I dipped the quill in ink for a final time and wrote the song title at the top of the page.

_"Nire's Storm"_.


	14. Chapter 12

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 12~ Rooftop Garden

The clouds had cleared, casting pure sunlight over the grounds as we headed back to our dorms. Hanabusa was deep in thought, wondering about what Rhyl had talked to him about earlier.

**"I know this may not quite be my place, but Zane's been giving me goose bumps for the past week. Ariao's birthday's come up. If she's been wanting that garden on the roof, that'll be about the only thing that can compete with a new ocarina." Rhyl crossed his arms and looked at him. "Personally, I think both Sorin and I would rather she be with you, but it's not our choice."**

** "I'll work on it. Just keep her off the roof for a bit." Rhyl laughed at that.**

** "Easier said than done, but we'll think of something."**

"I can't believe you talked me into helping you." Akatsuki said, following him up the steps to the roof.

"I already have everything ready, I just need someone to help put everything in place before Ariao forces her way up here." Hanabusa said, looking back at his cousin. Akatsuki sighed and stepped up onto the roof.

"Well, there's a lot of plants up here." Akatsuki said, pushing aside a small tree.

"It's a garden, of course there's a lot of plants." Hanabusa replied dryly. "Come on, we have work to do."

_"For the last time, I'm heading to the rooftop and that's that!"_ I flashed the page at Sorin and Rhyl, irritated. I had just wanted to drop off my books and grab my ocarina, only to find that my two guards had basically locked me in my room.

"Lady Ariao, please, just have some patience. You'll be able to head up soon." Rhyl promised, the same thing he had been telling me for the past hour-and-a-half.

_"You've been telling me that for over an hour now."_ I showed him the page, sinking onto the bed with an irritated sigh.

"It'll be worth it when you see it, trust me." I looked at Sorin with a half glare before collapsing back onto the bed.

"You're not serious are you?" Akatsuki asked, staring at the brick pile in the center of the roof.

"Very serious." Hanabusa smiled at his cousin, covered in dust and dirt.

"I think you've lost it." His cousin said, running a hand through his hair, smearing a trail of mud into his russet hair. "Ariao's no doubt getting irritated right now that Sorin and Rhyl have her trapped in her room right now. There's no way we can finish this in time."

"Sure we can. What do you think the water hose is for?" Hanabusa said, crouching by the bricks. With a resigned sigh, Akatsuki joined him.

_What's going on with everyone?_ I wondered, almost hoping Hanabusa could hear it and come to my rescue. But after ten minutes, I assumed he was already asleep, only adding to my irritation. With a soft growl, I closed my eyes, clasping my hands behind my head.

"He should be almost done by now." I opened my eyes, catching Rhyl's whispered words to Sorin just outside the door. I rolled to my feet and looked out the window. I must have dosed because the sun was now glaring with afternoon light.

"Almost isn't good enough. I'm heading up to see what's keeping him." I heard soft footsteps fade away and knew that Sorin had left.

"Great. Not what I thought would happen." Rhyl sighed and I heard him lean against the door.

_ Now's my chance!_ I thought, smiling slightly. Heading over to the window, I opened it and leaned out, trying to look up at the roof. Almost as soon as I did, I had to retreat quickly back in as a small wall of water fell past my window. After a moment, I poked my head back out just as another splash of water fell, this time catching me.

"I told you not to use a cheap hose like that. Now there's water everywhere." Sorin's voice reached down to where I had poked my head out for a third time.

"It should have worked anyhow." Hanabusa replied as another wave came over the side of the roof.

_What's going on around here?_ I thought, narrowing my eyes as a few sections of water flew off the roof, yet another one splashing into me.

"Alright, that should do it." Akatsuki's voice drifted down. "Sorin, go get her, we'll get the rest of this dried up."

"Finally." Sorin sighed loudly and I closed my window quickly. A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. "Lady Ariao! It's safe to come onto the roof." My door opened to see a drenched Sorin.

"What happened?" Rhyl asked, taking in my still dripping hair. I just waved the question off, grabbed my ocarina, and heading up.

I narrowed my eyes as a few bushy leaved trees blocked the door to the roof. _What's going on here?_ I pushed the tree leaves aside and froze. All around the roof were organized groups of plants, all centering around a small red brick fountain. Hanabusa stood, grinning widely, off to one side.

"Whatcha think?" He asked, coming over and wrapping an arm around my waist. He tilted my chin up to look at him for a moment and I could see a shining in his eyes. "Happy birthday, Ariao." He whispered and kissed me.


	15. Chapter 13

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 13~ Secrets

I closed my eyes and leaned against Hanabusa. _I don't know what could make this better._ I thought, taking in a deep breath of the light flowers that hung overhead. The whole garden was better than what I could have ever hoped to create and the light sound of running water from the fountain added a feeling of peace to the whole scene.

"I might have an idea." Hanabusa breathed softly in my ear, tightening his grip on me for a moment. "But for now, just enjoy the garden." His lips skimmed my neck for a moment before he pulled back, letting me wander around the roof. I looked at all the flowers that bordered the path to the fountain, pausing beside the elegant red bricks.

_How did you even get this done so fast?_ I looked back at Hanabusa.

"Well, first of all, Akatsuki helped with most of it. The fountain? Well, I've sort of been working on that for a while, getting the water set up before hand." He looked a bit sheepish as he slid over to stand beside me and look up at the small stream of water. "You really like it?" He asked, looking at me.

_I love it!_ I wrapped an arm around him and he kissed the top of my head.

As the Winter Ball drew ever closer, I found that the garden had not only become my favorite place, but also the spot where Zane and Hanabusa would wait for me. Though tension between the two remained, around me, they at least pretended to get along. One early morning, I decided to see if I could beat either one up there, only to see Zane had already taken his place near the fountain. He was writing in a notebook when I came upon him and looked up as I got close.

"Ariao." Zane smiled and got to his feet, setting the notebook aside. I smiled back at him, slightly puzzled as to what he was doing up here so soon. "I wanted to talk to you about something away from Aido." He said, sitting on the edge of the fountain and patting the space beside him. Hesitating a moment, I went over and sat next to him.

"You know." Zane began, wrapping an arm lightly around my shoulders. "With Songbloods as rare as they are, we should be sticking together a bit more." I tensed a bit but Zane wasn't done yet. "Plus, we are betrothed. Maybe we could just start out slow. Like just a few days together."

I pulled his notebook over and opened it to a back page, pulled out a pen, and started writing. _"Zane, I know you have stronger feelings for me, but I don't know…."_ He blinked slowly.

"You don't want to keep secrets from Aido?" He guessed. I looked away, silently confirming his question. "Yet he kept some secrets from you. Isn't it fair that you have some of your own? Like I said, we'll start slow." I hesitated for a bit before finally nodding. He was right in a sense, I missed being around another Songblood. As long as that's all this was, I saw no problem with it.

Zane smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I won't let you regret that choice." He said softly before pulling back. Before I could move, Hanabusa came into view, blinking at us. Zane cast a smug look at Hanabusa before gently taking his notebook from me, getting to his feet and heading off.

Hanabusa watched him go with a faint tint entering his eyes before giving his head a shake and coming over to sit beside me. "Sorry I'm late, Lord Kaname had something he wanted to talk to me about."

_Everything alright?_ I leaned against him, still surprised with myself for even agreeing to meet with Zane.

"Everything's fine." Hanabusa said, giving the top of my head a quick kiss. "Just a bit of a reprimand for the water that fell off the roof earlier. I guess it got a bit out of hand before we got it fixed up again."

_That's good. I'm glad it's nothing serious._

"By the way, what were you and Zane talking about?" Hanabusa looked at me, icy blue eyes curious.

_It's nothing to worry about. He was just trying to get me to go with him to the Winter Ball. Of course, I told him no._

"So you finally have your choice of who you'll take to the Winter Ball?" Hanabusa asked lightly, wrapping an arm around me.

_Like you wouldn't know. _I looked up at Hanabusa.

"I know. But it's nice to actually hear it fully." Hanabusa smiled, giving me a quick kiss. "I'll be waiting for you tomorrow night." He whispered, letting his fangs graze my neck.

_Go ahead. _I lifted my head. I heard Hanabusa let out a soft growl of frustration, but he didn't resist. After a slight moment of tension, he shot forward and I felt his fangs pierce my neck. I let out a silent gasp in surprise. For some reason, Hanabusa seemed a bit more…desperate than usual. Perhaps it was because he hadn't had much of a chance to take any of my blood, but for whatever reason, his grip on me tightened as he continued to draw my blood.

_Hanabusa…get…get ahold of yourself._ I winced. He was starting to push the limit more than usual. After a moment, he seemed to regain control of himself and slowly pulled back. Though his eyes held a faint trace of crimson, they had mostly returned to their original icy blue.

"Ariao? Did I…Did I hurt you?" Hanabusa asked, trembling slightly.

_It was my fault. We never made the time for you to have any after Zane got here._ That's when I realized that Hanabusa wasn't the only one I was keeping secrets from, but from Zane and the rest of the night class as well. No one knew that Hanabusa and I did this save for Sorin, Rhyl, and Kaname. But that's how it had to be. If they found out, there would be severe consequences this time. And as far as Hanabusa was concerned, I didn't really think he'd understand the joy of being able to be around another Songblood. He had been around other aristocrats his whole life, so the lonely life that had been mine up to now was something that I could never really expect him to understand.

In the end, some secrets were better off kept in my opinion.


	16. Chapter 14

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 14~ Winter Ball

The hall was being lit up with candles on the tables and round paper lanterns around the room when I walked in. True to its name, the snow had fallen during the day, making it truly appear as a Winter Ball should. Already there were a lot more students here than I thought there'd be at this time from both the day and night classes.

"There you are!" I nearly jumped in surprise as Hanabusa slid over to me. "You look lovely today." He whispered, leaning down to give me a quick kiss. I had decided to stay traditional and had put on a sparkling blue ball gown with silver trim.

_Look who's talking. Who forced you into the suit?_ I teased, knowing he wasn't too fond of the strict ball dress code. He was wearing a pale blue suit that matched his eyes and white dress pants. Hanabusa chuckled, wrapping an arm around me.

"You seem to be in a good mood today. I thought you told me you weren't overly fond of formal occasions like this."

_Everything has an exception._ I smiled up at him. In truth, I was excited because Headmaster Cross had asked me earlier if I could play a few songs at the Winter Ball. Of course, Hanabusa had no idea of that, nor did any of the other night class students for that matter.

"True." Hanabusa agreed, smiling back.

"Headmaster Cross really went all out this year." Akatsuki said and I turned to see him and Ruka coming in the door. Hanabusa's cousin had on a bit dressier suit, complete with the ruffles in the front that covered the top buttons. Ruka had chosen to go with more of, what I thought, was a light pink wedding dress in style.

"No kidding. Wonder what the special occasion is?" Hanabusa agreed. I smiled as they continued to talk for a while. It felt nice to actually take part in one of these dances without looking over my shoulder all the time. It also helped that I knew Sorin and Rhyl were keeping an eye on things from afar, though I couldn't pick them out in the steadily growing crowd.

"Hey, Ariao!" I looked back to see Yuki come over, her white gown flowing slightly behind her. "Headmaster Cross wanted to talk to you about…later." She added, glancing at Hanabusa, Akatsuki, and Ruka.

"Everything alright?" Hanabusa asked. I smiled at him.

_Everything's fine. I'll be right back._ I broke away and followed Yuki towards the back of the crowd, weaving around people that were clustered around the room.

_I don't think we can fit too many more people in here!_ I thought, having to backtrack as a group suddenly appeared in front of me. When we finally reached the back of the room, Headmaster Cross seemed to be off in his own little world, gazing around with shining eyes.

"Ah, Ariao! You look absolutely stunning tonight!" I hesitated for a moment, looking at Yuki, who just shrugged slightly, shaking her head. "So tell me, have you chosen your songs?" I looked into his eyes and nodded, blinking slowly. "Wonderful!" the Headmaster sang and gave a little spin.

_Now I see why everyone has questioned his sanity._ I thought, forcing myself not to step back.

"Oh, this is going to be wonderful!" the Headmaster was singing dramatically. "To have a real Songblood perform for us will be a real treat for everyone involved." I let out a light sigh and smiled at the eccentric headmaster.

"Father, please. If this is supposed to be a surprise, you're not helping." Yuki said, giving me an apologetic glance. I waved her apology off, and then looked at the stage before returning my gaze to them questioningly.

"You'll be going on when the band goes for their break in about…" Headmaster Cross looked at the clock that hung on the wall. "…two minutes." I nodded and turned back, determined to find Rhyl and Sorin before I went on.

"Alright, everyone. We'll be taking a break real quick, but hold tight, the music shall continue." I spun around to see the conductor waving on the stage.

_What? Two minutes couldn't have gone by already!_ I thought but before I could gather my thoughts, a spotlight swiveled and focused on me.

"Our wonderful friend, Ariao, will entertain you until we return!" I could feel the surprised gazes of both night and day class students as I headed over to the stage. Reaching into the pouch where I kept my ocarina, I jumped up onto the stage, watching the conductor. The human male smiled in a friendly way and stepped back.

After taking a moment to collect my thoughts, I pulled out my ocarina, closed my eyes, and started to play an old festival song my mother had taught me. Within moments, the mood became one of excitement again. When I opened my eyes, I saw a few people returning to dancing. When the song finally ended, I paused to take a quick breather and the crowd applauded loudly.

_Wow. That's a first._ I thought, dazed, blinking a few times. When they had quieted again, I took a deep breath before going on to the next song. When the band finally returned, there was such an uproar as I was leaving that the conductor called me back up to play alongside them. Thankfully he had a piece for ocarina and after a quick skim over the page, I joined them in the song. After that, I was finally allowed to leave and return to the dance floor.

"You never mentioned that you were going to perform tonight." Hanabusa said, taking on a slightly wounded expression, though his eyes glowed teasingly.

_I wanted to surprise everyone._ I thought, leaning against him. This had easily been one of the best nights of my life. It took me a long time to realize why, though. As a group of students quickly clustered around me, I realized that there was one person I hadn't noticed, even when I had been up on the stage.

Zane.


	17. Chapter 15

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo and EgyptianAssassin for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 15~ Return from the Past

Midnight had come and gone by the time the Winter Ball finally ended. Seeing as how most of our class would have been over, Kaname had given us the rest of the night to do as we pleased. I wasn't going to complain, since it gave me a bit of time to prepare myself for what tomorrow would bring…or…actually, later today.

"So, have any plans?" Hanabusa asked, coming up behind me.

_Not really. I'm just in the mood to watch the stars tonight._ Hanabusa looked at me for a moment as if puzzled, but he eventually just shrugged.

"Have room for two?" He asked, smiling slightly.

_You ought to know the answer to that._ I looked up at him and rolled my eyes slightly. Hanabusa chuckled at that.

"Just thought I'd ask since you always have Sorin and Rhyl with you anyhow." I gave him a pointed look for a second before heading back towards the dorm.

"Lady Ariao, I would strongly advise you to go back to your dorms. You know what today is, right?" I looked at Rhyl, who had just come running over to us. I looked at him for a moment, confused.

_Wait…no! Has it already been a year?!_ I  
looked at Rhyl, almost hoping he wasn't telling me what I thought he was.

"What? What about a year? Ariao, what's wrong?" Hanabusa grabbed my arms, icy blue eyes bright with concern.

_It's an illness that I've had since I was younger._ I told him, meeting his anxious gaze. _Around this time every year, I get a sort of fever and wind up by being mostly bedridden for a few days._

"Why haven't you said anything about this?" Hanabusa asked, letting go of one of my arms to run a hand through his hair.

_For exactly the reason that's going on now. I didn't want…_ I trailed off to give my head a shake. _I didn't want you and everyone else to worry. I've already caused enough trouble._ Hanabusa let out a soft groan.

"Why does it not surprise me to hear you say that?" Hanabusa looked at me, his gaze serious. "No stargazing. Come on, let's head back to the dorms." I blinked at him, his words had blended and echoed in my head so that I could barely pick out individual words. Hanabusa's eyes glittered with concern and I saw him look at Rhyl.

"It's already starting. She'll be down in a moment." Rhyl said briskly, looking up into the trees. Hanabusa followed his gaze to see Sorin leaning against the tree, almost completely hidden by the branches.

"On it." Sorin said softly, just loud enough to be heard and jumped down, landing almost cat-like before straightening up. Nodding to them, he turned and trotted off towards the dorms.

"Where's he going?" Hanabusa asked, looking at Rhyl as Ariao's eyes closed. He could feel a slight tremor run through her and tightened his grip on her slightly.

"He's just going to make sure everything set up so Lady Ariao can rest in peace." Rhyl said, casting a glance at Ariao.

_Hanabusa…_ The thought brushed his right before Ariao fell limp. Startled, he grabbed her to keep her from falling to the ground.

"You're going to have to carry her back. Let's go." Rhyl said quickly, spinning around and almost running to the dorm.

Sorin leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, breathing heavily. _It's getting worse. I don't think I'll even last the term!_ He reached into a pocket and pulled out the case of Blood Tablets, shakily dropping three into a glass of water.

"Sorin?" He looked over to see Zane leaning against the door frame.

"I'll be fine. Just give me a moment." He panted, taking a large gulp of the water. Shivering, he leaned back against the wall.

"How's Ariao's condition?" Zane asked, pushing off from the door and walking over. Sorin closed his eyes tightly, resisting the urge to snap out an answer.

"You should know. You were there that first time." Sorin panted, feeling the blood water start to take effect.

"That's why Rhyl sent you ahead." It wasn't really a question, but the question remained. Sorin nodded tensely. He heard Zane sigh and suddenly he had his flute out and was playing softly. After a long moment, Sorin felt the song relax him and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall as he sank to the floor. When the song was done, he looked at Zane and nodded.

"Thanks. I needed that." He said roughly.

"It's one of the reasons you stay with Ariao, isn't it?" Zane asked, looking at him firmly. After a moment, Sorin looked away.

"Yeah. One of them. Her songs keep that side of me under control." Sorin admitted quietly. "But even the power of a Songblood can't hold it off forever."

_I just hope I won't be the one that forces Lady Ariao into a bad position here at Cross Academy. She's already got it rough enough with Zane and Hanabusa competing for her._


	18. Quick Story Note 3

So now another twist has sprung up. Ariao's illness has returned! After Sorin got back to the Moon Dorm, he quickly sets things up for Ariao and heads back to his room, struggling with bloodlust. As a former human, he knows that he only has so much time left, but there seems to be something more to it than what meets the eye. What's worse, Zane seems to know about it!

I won't elaborate too much on this now since that would be jumping ahead too far in the story, but I will tell you this: even though this isn't explained in too much detail, the Prequel is going strong and will explain a lot more about this event and some of the others that might have puzzled people from both "A Songblood's Secret" and this one, "A Songblood's Night".

Although I know I promised that there would be plenty of Zane and Ariao, I'm afraid I have revoked most of their scenes in favor of a better storyline, so if anyone was looking forward to seeing those two togther, I do apologize.

Story wise, we've reached the third-quarter mark. Party time! *Tosses confettii into the air* Now that _that__'s _out of my system... *Hands readers a piece of cake* I hope to finish this one around the 25th, possibly a day or two later, but who knows if that'll actually happen.

Anyhow, I can't even begin to tell you all how much it means to have the support to be able to write this far and to continue on to make this the "Songblood Trilogy" :) Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Happy Holidays!

Ariao


	19. Quick Story Note 4

Alright, this is one for those of you who read and want to see these completed.

I do appoligize for the huge delay on chapters, but after a battle with a virus that hit my computer, I wound up by loosing A LOT of my notes and such for the story. After going back over it and redoing the notes as best as I can, I am happy...no...exctatic to bring you all the rest of this story as well as the prequal/backstory of the Songblood Trilogy.

If all goes according to plan? The latest I should have the next chapter up is by next week...possibly sooner than that if I get the chance to work on it more.

Once again, I really am sorry to all those who have tried to remain loyal to the series that I haven't posted anything sooner, but I promise you, the new plot line I had in mind will make you wonder if you really knew the characters at all!

Happy reading and writing to you all!

Ariao


	20. Chapter 16

_**Special thanks to Deces, AnimeRox2012, and ballet022 for the reviews! And to ishtonayo, EgyptianAssassin, .potate, and AliciaStar for following/favoring the story!**_

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Chapter 16~ Blood

I slowly opened my eyes to see the last rays of the sunset leaking through the window. Looking around, I had to admit, I was surprised. Hanabusa wasn't here, but leaning against the wall was Sorin, his eyes closed. I shifted, pushing myself forward to sit up, the bed creaking slightly.

"So, you're awake at last?" Sorin asked me, pushing off from the wall and coming over, sitting on the edge of the bed. I nodded, watching him curiously.

"You want to know where Hanabusa is?" Sorin chuckled as if he knew what I was thinking. When I nodded, his eyes lost their glint of amusement. "Him and Zane are talking outside." He nodded to the window before looking at me again. "I believe Zane is wanting to step back."

_Step back?_ I thought, puzzled for a moment before it suddenly dawned on me. He was letting me go! If what Sorin said was true, I now had a chance to really be with Hanabusa.

"You seem happy about that." Sorin commented as the door to my room opened and Rhyl stepped in. His eyes scanned over me quickly and he nodded.

"You seem better." He commented, coming over to crouch beside my bed. I caught Sorin glare quickly at the healer, but pushed it to the back of my mind for the time being. Those two had their moments when they would suddenly act like they hated each other.

"There doesn't seem to be any lasting effects this time. You should be able to return to class tonight as long as you don't push yourself." Rhyl concluded, getting to his feet again and grabbing Sorin's upper arm, dragging him out of the room. "We'll be waiting for you in the parlor." He said before closing the door behind them.

Sorin jerked his arm away from Rhyl, glaring at the healer as he turned to face him.

"You're pushing your luck with this. Telling Lady Ariao you have feelings for her will only re-complicate things. We don't need that now." Rhyl pointed out calmly.

"Like you're the only one to know that." Rhyl blinked at him as he looked away. "But I don't know how much time I've got left. I wanted to tell her before I lose control of myself."

"Has it been getting that bad?" Rhyl whispered, his eyes wide.

"It feels like every blood tablet I take only enflames the thirst rather than quench it. I fear the day when Lady Ariao's songs will no longer reach me." He leaned against the wall and slid down, closing his eyes tightly. "Even Zane's songs barely managed to calm me down."

"Your time really is numbered." Rhyl breathed, sitting next to him. Sorin only nodded.

"Hey, guys? What's wrong?" They both looked up to see Hanabusa standing there, his icy blue eyes widening slightly.

"Don't worry, sir. Lady Ariao is fine." Rhyl said, getting to his feet. "She'll be out in a moment to attend class tonight." Sorin got to his feet as well, not meeting Hanabusa's eyes. Hanabusa looked over in the direction of Ariao's room before nodding and heading over to meet her as she came out.

"I don't care how often they do it, it still looks odd to see them communicate through telepathy." Sorin muttered, clasping his hands behind his head as he headed for the parlor. "We better get ready for another wave of curious aristocrats. They'll be all over her when she gets here."

"A Songblood's guard is never done." Rhyl sighed, chuckling softly as he followed Sorin to the parlor, where the rest of the Night Class was already waiting.

"Any news?" The overly happy vice-president asked, coming over to greet them.

"Don't worry, she's coming to class tonight." Rhyl replied as Sorin tuned the noise out. The blood that was pounding in his ears made him wonder if he'd even last the week without losing his sanity. As Ariao and Hanabusa came into view, he could only hope so.


End file.
